HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-01-18 Board of Selectmen Minutes Board of Selectmen Meeting
January 18, 2003
The meeting convened at 9:00 a.m. in the Conference Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading,
Massachusetts. Present were Chairman Camille Anthony, Vice Chairman Matthew
Cummings, Secretary Richard Schubert, Selectmen George Hines and Gail Wood, Town
Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, Department Heads Beth Klepeis, Richard Foley, Ted McIntire,
Bob Silva, Greg Burns, Kimberly Lynn and the following list of interested parties: Paul Feely,
Bill Brown, Steve Conner, Karen Epstein, Vicki Yablansky, Bruce Cerullo.
The Town Manager reviewed the status of the FY 2003 Budget including an estimated $500,000
in reductions by Governor Romney, as well as whether there are shortfalls in the FY 2003
Budget. He also reviewed the current status of the FY 2004 Budget. He emphasized that this
must be addressed as a 17 month budget issue, not five months of 2003 and 12 months of 2004.
The Board discussed addressing the 2003 Budget shortfall of approximately $1.25 million.
Chairman Camille Anthony suggested the use of no free cash. Selectman George Hines
indicated that this is an emergency and that is what free cash is for.
On motion by Cummings seconded by Wood the Board voted to develop a model using
$250,000 in free cash for FY 2003, no free cash for FY 2004, assign one third of the
reductions required to the Town and two thirds to the schools, and with the possibility of
putting some of the snow and ice overrun on next years tax rate and/or looking at a Prop 2
%2 override for that purpose. The motion was approved by a vote of 5-0-0.
Selectman Richard Schubert asked for a review of what cuts have already been done over the last
three plus or minus years.
Staff was directed to get a copy of the law amending 9C so we can see exactly what restrictions
the legislature put on the reductions.
The Board of Selectmen agreed to meet next Saturday, January 25th. This will be a Selectmen's
meeting only, and the January 29th Finance Committee Meeting should be a Financial Forum.
On motion by Cummings seconded by Schubert, the Board voted to go into Executive
Session for the purpose of discussion of labor negotiations, not to come back into Open
Session. On a roll call vote, all five members voted in the affirmative and the meeting of
January 18, 2003 was adjourned at 11:30 a.m.
Respectfully submit d,
0
Secretary